National Restaurant Association · 16 hours ago
Vice President, Operations
Washington, DC
Full-time
Hybrid
Director/Executive
15+ years expThe National Restaurant Association is a respected organization in the hospitality industry, seeking a Vice President, Operations to lead operational excellence and organizational evolution. This role involves translating enterprise strategy into execution, enhancing operational performance, and fostering collaboration across teams to deliver high-quality services and programs.
HospitalityLifestyleRestaurants
Responsibilities
Serve as a strategic and execution partner to the COO to operationalize enterprise strategy, annual priorities, and transformation initiatives
Lead major operational programs and cross-functional initiatives, tracking progress against defined goals and KPIs
Oversee day-to-day operational performance across assigned functions, identifying risks and opportunities for improvement
Develop and maintain operational dashboards, scorecards, and reporting mechanisms to support executive decision-making
Partner with and support the COO in overseeing enterprise functions such as HR, Technology, State Restaurant Association partnerships, and Facilities, as assigned
Evaluate operational processes and workflows to improve efficiency, scalability, and cost-effectiveness
Lead continuous improvement efforts across people, process, and technology
Develop and standardize operational practices, tools, and documentation to promote clarity and consistency
Support implementation of new systems, tools, and capabilities in partnership with functional leaders
Serve as a connective leader across departments to promote alignment and coordinated execution
Build strong working relationships with senior leaders, functional heads, and external partners
Represent Operations in leadership forums and enterprise initiatives as delegated by the COO
Provide executive leadership and oversight for facilities and workplace operations
Guide staff responsible for space planning, vendor management, and workplace experience initiatives
Partner cross-functionally to support safe, efficient, and high-performing office and event environments
Partner with the COO, CIO, and functional leaders to advance a unified data management and reporting strategy
Lead efforts to improve consistency, accuracy, and accessibility of operational data
Drive adoption of shared data standards, reporting frameworks, and dashboards to support execution and accountability
Partner closely with the Vice President, Membership to support and enable State Restaurant Associations
Align operational processes, tools, and systems to improve effectiveness and experience for SRA partners
Serve as an operational thought partner to Membership leadership to identify opportunities for scalability and enhanced engagement
Qualification
Required
15+ years of progressive leadership experience in operations, association management, nonprofit, or mission-driven organizations, with demonstrated success translating strategy into execution
Bachelor's degree in business management or a related field required, MBA or other relevant advanced degree preferred
Proven track record leading complex, cross-functional operational initiatives and driving measurable performance improvement
Strong operational judgment with experience scaling processes, systems, and infrastructure in evolving organizations
Experience overseeing or partnering closely with core enterprise functions such as HR, Facilities, IT, or equivalent shared services
Data-informed decision-maker with experience developing dashboards, KPIs, and reporting frameworks to guide execution and resource allocation
Demonstrated success leading continuous improvement efforts across people, processes, and technology
Exceptional leadership, collaboration, and communication skills, with the ability to influence at the executive and board level
Experience managing and developing high-performing teams, including senior leaders and managers
Strong strategic planning, project management, and budget management capabilities
Ability to set priorities and drive disciplined execution in a fast-paced environment
Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills
Excellent organizational and time-management skills with attention to detail and follow-through
Comfort representing operations in enterprise leadership forums and with external partners
Willingness and ability to travel quarterly or as needed
Ability to work on-site in Washington, DC
Preferred
MBA or other relevant advanced degree preferred
Knowledge of membership-based organizations, trade associations, or hospitality-related industries is a plus
Benefits
Outstanding healthcare coverage (medical, dental and vision)
Competitive salaries
Generous vacation and leave time
Matching 401(k) plan
A unique collection of corporate discounts and memberships
Programs to support career and skills development, including learning and tuition assistance
Company
National Restaurant Association
The National Restaurant Association is a foodservice trade association supporting restaurant businesses worldwide.
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Michelle Korsmo
President & CEO
Keri Stockland
Chief Financial Officer
Recent News
2026-01-20
Company data provided by crunchbase